Monday, August 1, 2016

GOODBYE EUROPE!!

TODAY IS THE DAY WE ARE GOING HOME!!!! Today is it!! We are finally going home!! I can honestly say that I'm very anxious about today and my nerves are getting the best of me!! I couldn't wait to get back home, in my own bed, in a familiar territory, with language and customs I understood!!! But, my nerves were also getting the best of me because of travel day! Travel day had a history on its own, and I knew today was going to be hard because I was looking forward to carrying 120 pounds of luggage!!! Ugh, today was going to be the start of a long day.
We met up at 10AM and headed to the U-Bahn so we could catch a bus to take us to the airport. We were catching a flight from Berlin to Amsterdam. and then from there, we were catching a plane from Amsterdam to Atlanta.
We began by headed to the U-Bahn, and already, I was struggling with luggage. I could not wait until we were at the airport and we had not even gotten to the first stop! We headed underground and got on the metro. We headed two stops and then WALKED up some stairs, along with my 120 pounds, and on our way to catch the bus. Once on the bus, we were on the way to the airport!!
After trips back and fourth, a standing in line for a long time, we said goodbye to Dr. V, and got on the plane to Amsterdam!
Once we were in Amsterdam, we were rushing to get off the make our connection, but when we got there, our flight had been delayed 2 and hours hours. Our long day just got longer.
After waiting and waiting, our flight was finally ready. I'm not sure I was prepared for this 8 hour flight, but any step closer to getting home was one I was more than willing to take! Once everybody was on the flight, we had dinner and I watched movies until I fell asleep. It was a long 8 hours, but I had never been more excited to see Atlanta.

After getting to Atlanta, we were all a bit nervous because there was a chance we wouldn't be able to make our connecting flight and get home. And that's exactly what happened. Going through customs took and long time. By the time we were ready, our plane to Nashville was in the air! What were we going to do?! In the end, it was going to a long night! We all got booked for flights in the morning, but now, we had to find a place to sleep in the airport.

I woke up every 30 minutes it seemed, and it was so cold! The night was going by so slowly, but soon enough, it was time to board!!

Touching down in Nashville never felt better!! I couldn't believe it! It felt like I had been away for longer than three weeks, but I did know that being in Europe has taught me so much!! As Americans, we take so many things for granted and are really entitled as a culture. There are things I will miss and food I will crave, but nothing will beat being able to see the same 43 faces I've been sharing this experience with!

I'd like to thank God, Grandma and Grandpa Claibourne, Mom and Dad, my best friend and Dr. V!! Without you, this trip would not have been possible! It's truly been a blessing!!!